| Title | : | Beautiful Day |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | 0718178327 |
| ISBN-10 | : | 9780718178321 |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Paperback |
| Number of Pages | : | 384 |
| Publication | : | First published April 1, 2014 |
Philip is a lost soul in the world and he could do with a friend.
They are just about to meet and when they do everything will change. Rachel and Philip don't know it yet, but they each have what the other needs. They can save one another, and not in the way you might expect.
This is a story about finding happiness and love in all their forms. And how sometimes you can find them in the most unlikely of places.
Beautiful Day Reviews
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Rachel Bidewell decides it is time to work again for the first time since the arrival of her three children Jess, Luke and Alec. Rachel is divorced which has changed the financial situation for her. For Rachel returning back to work meant that she will need a routine in getting the children collected from school. When Rachel arrived at her new job she was disappointed with Clifton Avenue Residential Care Home, it looked tired and scruffy.
I recommend this novel beacause it is a funny,heart warming novel of family life, love and friendship. I do hope that many reader will also enjoy this beautiful novel as much as I have. -
Originally posted on:
http://lauraslittlebookblog.blogspot....
This novel explored so many poignant themes that I really wasn't expecting from this beautiful book. The cover and the title had me thinking that it would be a love story, but it was actually an emotionally honest and heartfelt story.
Rachel has recently gone through a divorce from a man she has loved since she was 19 years old; a man she thought loved her. She now finds herself a single Mum with three children to look after and has to take on part time work at Clifton Avenue Carehome to keep them all afloat. It is here she meets Phillip, a big bear of a man, who has found himself at the Carehome without a Mum to look after him, when she is all he has ever known. He doesn't understand the world around him and needs tender loving care, which when Rachel is assigned as his Key Worker, she is so determined to give. And the longer she works there, the more she realises it isn't only Phillip that needs her help.
Even though I have never been through the things that Rachel was going through, Kate Anthony's writing was so raw and honest that I felt like I had completely stepped into Rachel's shoes. When an author is able to make me feel so in tune with a character, despite having no experience of their life events, I know this novel is going to be good.
This was a heartbreaking, emotional read. I felt Rachel's anger at her ex-husband who seems to blame everything on Rachel when things go wrong with her three children. Even when she is shouting at her children, I still didn't dislike her as a person as she is having to cope with so much and is getting very little help.
In contrast, Rachel's patience with Phillip was so heartwarming. And I got incredibly angry at how the social care hierarchy system worked in this, as they definitely did not have the residents best interests at heart. Kate Antony brings to light just how vulnerable people like Phillip are and how they can be so easily abused.
This was incredible for a debut novel as it is written with such sensitivity and poignancy that it will stay with me for a long time. -
Rachel's husband has just left her for a younger woman leaving her to need to find a job. She takes a part time job in a care home for disabled adults. It's here she meets Philip, who she becomes keyworker for, and he gives her life a new found purpose. She also meets Rob, a supervisor who becomes the obvious love interest.
Rachel has to battle with her husband for who gets prime custody over their eldest son, who has been having some problems and is unhappy. It's a very family saga-y sort of book but I really enjoyed it. I identified very much with the care home setting after previously working in one myself. I could recognise some elements of where I worked with in the slackers who do as little as possible, the manager who has no clue about the residents, the blatant stealing of residents money and home resources.
It was a very quick read as the book itself was small and there wasn't much print on each page so I was able to whizz through this. -
Time taken to read - 2.5 days
Publisher - Penguin
Pages - 384
Source - Realreaders
Blurb from Goodreads
Rachel is looking for her beautiful day. She's worried about everything: being a good mother, money and starting a new job.
Philip is a lost soul in the world and he could do with a friend.
They are just about to meet and when they do everything will change. Rachel and Philip don't know it yet, but they each have what the other needs. They can save one another, and not in the way you might expect.
This is a story about finding happiness and love in all their forms. And how sometimes you can find them in the most unlikely of places.
My Review
Rachel is finding life challenging to say the least. She is starting a new job as a resident care assistant working with vulnerable adults. Her children and her are trying to adjust to the new routine of her being out the house, her husband has left them and he has a new lady. The live in au pair is a nightmare and thats just the start of it. When Rachel is flung in at the deep end with a new resident, Philip, Rachel finds herself out of her depth but determined to help and stick at it.
The story covers a lot of ground, a failed marriage, trying to cope with the aftermath, learning to do the mum thing without an active partner. Her job is challenging, fulfilling and she loves the residents but people in the job aren't quite as helpful as one might have hoped.
The book presents many challenges, achievements, tears, upsets and a beautiful relationship with Philip and Rachel. It also demonstrates how actions can impact on another persons life. I really enjoyed this book, for a debut novel it is very well executed. Anthony draws on her experience as a residential social worker which I think adds to the realism of the story. The characters are very well portrayed as you switch emotions, especially with Rachel, as you learn more about her as see her behaviors and actions.
I could have read this in one go I think, had life permitted as it's an engaging tale where you want to see how the characters and plot develops. This is my first time reading this author and I would definitely read her again. I hope she gives us more care based stories and maybe follows up with Rachel. 4/5 for me this time, thanks so much to RealReaders for providing me with an ARC of this book. You will be able to get your own copy from 10th April 2014 from all good retailers. -
Beautiful Day by Kate Anthony
Kate Anthony's debut novel tells the story of Rachel Bidewell and successfully manages to provide a wry look at the challenges faced by a woman who for the first time in her mid-forties finds herself apart from the only man she has ever loved, coping with three children and a new job whilst also being unexpectedly insightful and moving. Rachel is rife with bitterness and needs something or someone to help her keep her head above water. Financial constraints after the split force her to take on a role as a Residential Care Assistant working with adults with learning difficulties and she is assigned to the role of key worker for a new patient, Philip, himself floundering after his mothers death. It is unclear how both of these can for any sort of meaningful relationship, let alone play a significant role in helping the other to survive and learn to grow as individuals. Yet, totally unexpectedly, they manage to and this is the beauty of the novel.
This book was hugely enjoyable and very easy to read. The author manages to move between the home and workplace situations with a remarkable fluidity, whist describing both realistically and successfully managing to combine this aspect with fully developing the characters involved. It was not too far into the story before I found myself willing Rachel on and caring how things were going to turn out! It was a real page turner of a book and the ups and downs of the characters were surprisingly involving! For a debut fiction author this is a remarkable achievement. Having worked in a similar social services area I can testify to the difficulties faced by Rachel as she gets to grips with her new role and finds herself battling obstructive colleagues and agency staff with not such a self sacrificing motive for working in such an environment.
Perhaps the most poignant aspect of the book for me were the observations surrounding divorce, both practical and the emotional, the impact on the children who find themselves in the middle and what it forces a person to learn about themselves and the unexpected strength that can emerge. Ultimately this is an uplifting tale which leaves you with a warm glow and keen to read more of Kate Anthony.
I read and reviewed this book on behalf of
www.lovereading.co.uk. -
I received a copy of this book in return for an honest review........
Rachel is starting a new job after being out of the workforce for years. Her husband has left her and her three children, for a younger model, and finances are tight. An Au Pair is hired, and soon she swaps the school run for a part time job as a link worker in a care home. She is given the job as key worker for Philip, a grown man with learning disabilities who has arrived at the home following the death of his elderly mother. A relationship of trust and friendship builds between Philip and Rachel as she helps him adjust to living away from everything and everyone he has ever known. However, someone else in the care home is pulling all the strings and things begin to change for Philip, despite Rachel's best efforts.
Kate Anthony has worked as a social worker and her knowledge of the area of assisted living is obvious within the pages of the book. Her character, Rachel, is going through some difficult times in her life and has to deal with the trauma of her breakup as well as her kids day to day issues. Add on the job of care worker and this leads to some stressful days. However, I couldn't connect with the character when she was not with Philip, and found it a bit odd that she had her work life organised so well, but her time with her children was tense and very hit and miss. The writing was average and at times reminded me of the "true life" style of Cathy Glass. I really enjoyed Philip and his story. I think the novel may have appealed more to me, had it been more about him and the other residents of the care home. Rachel is very bitter over her husbands departure but to the extent that she runs the risk of losing respect from her family.
The Au Pair was spot-on. I had one very similar myself, many moons ago, and remember all too well how she ended up being more work than the children!
All in all, Beautiful Day is a nice easy read and although it is not my normal type of book, there is a huge market out there for it. I wish the author all the best with it's release..... -
Rachel Bidewell is a thirty something mum of three children, her husband Dom has left her for a younger woman and she needs a job. She finds work as a Residential Care Assistant at Clifton Avenue Residential Home, which helps adults of all ages with learning disabilities. So, armed with an unreliable and miserable live-in au pair to help look after the children, Rachel starts her new job with some trepidation.
Also new to the Centre is Philip. He is in his thirties, and has spent his entire life living with his mother, who has recently died. He has severe learning difficulties, has no life experience at all and can’t even clean his own teeth. Rachel is assigned to be his key worker and what follows is a beautifully written poignant story of hope, caring, happiness and anger and, ultimately, acceptance and love.
I really connected to the character of Rachel straight away. She was just so normal and whilst she does her best to do the right thing by everybody, she doesn't always get it right. Her personal life is chaotic, her ex-husband constantly undermines her and the children, especially the eldest 11 year old Alec, are clearly unhappy with the situation but Rachel is by nature a caring person and when she is given the chance to try and help Philip come out of his withdrawn state and interact with the world a bond develops between them. Of course, not everything goes to plan and whilst the story is incredibly serious and moving, there is plenty of humour and drama to keep you turning the pages, along with some expertly drawn characters who will make you laugh, cry and scream with frustration.
This is such an accomplished and beautifully written piece of work, it’s hard to believe that it’s a debut novel. The author’s experience as a Residential Social Worker clearly shines through and it’s the realism and her first-hand experience of the care system that makes this such a compelling read. I really enjoyed it and would certainly look forward to any future books by Kate Anthony. -
I was rather surprised by this story as on first glance I thought perhaps that the story would be a little bit fluffy. However, very soon into the book there is a real temptation to read through it very quickly, not because the book is light on content but because the story takes hold and makes you want to know what’s going to happen next.
On the surface it’s a gentle story about Rachel, who is a young single mother, trying to support her children by taking a job in a care home looking after vulnerable adults. Rachel’s confidence has been battered by a disastrous marriage but her resolve in caring for her family means that she must make sacrifices and working in such a demanding job is never going to be easy.
I think what makes the book so readable is that the story explores relationships in realistic detail. I especially enjoyed following Rachel’s interaction with her fellow care workers, and more especially with Philip, a vulnerable adult in the home, who needs a special brand of cosseting. Rachel’s chaotic private life echoes the sort of journey many single mothers make every day, as they try to juggle the responsibilities of parenthood with the very real need to make ends meet. Rachel’s return to work is never going to be easy but the deftness of the story and the realistic way in which the characters are allowed to evolve, make this book an absolute joy to read and enjoy.
On the whole I think that this is a commendable debut novel. The author has shown a real empathy with the characters she has created and more importantly she has the skill to share this vision with her readers. I look forward to more books from this talented author.
My thanks to Real Readers for my review copy of this book. -
Whilst reading this book I kept asking myself: why is a book that spends so much time recounting daily domestic disasters so riveting? After all, I am an old man and this is a book obviously intended for a readership of thirty-something women. The answer is in the sheer quality of the writing. And the fact that domestic crises, especially those that arise when a couple with a young family become estranged, are only a part of it. There are also problems in the principle protagonist's work place.
All of these situations are described with sensitivity and humour. Ms Anthony worked in residential social care before commencing a long career in television production, working on drama series like 'Where The Heart Is' which featured people working out of a community health centre in a North of England town. She has 4 children of her own. All of which gives her the perfect background from which to produce a novel dealing with residential social care and marriage breakdown.
But relevant experience alone is never enough from which to shape a novel that grabs you in the gut and forces you to keep reading. To succeed, a novel needs believable characters with real depth. And that is what makes this, in my humble opinion, a great novel, one to which many people of all ages and backgrounds will be able to relate.
Okay, so the setting is decidedly middle-class suburban London. Many people in Rachel's situation will not have the luxury of an au pair or an ex-husband able to afford two mortgages at London prices, let alone both. But the problem of forming relationships with fellow staff as a new employee, especially where a high proportion of the staff are agency workers who appear for a few shifts then disappear to be replaced but another stranger, will be real enough to many. So will the manager who is much more concerned about appearing to have a well run operation than she is about the well being of her charges.
The feelings of betrayal and distrust that accompany the break up of a marriage that you had believed to be solid; the disputes over who has access to the children and when, and the impact on those children of being shuttled back and forth when one of the parents over-compensates for his feelings of guilt by indulging their every whim and fancy; these things are the same whatever the state of your finances. And they are, too, the things that Ms Anthony has captured so well. Her portrayal of Rachel, and the problems she has to deal with, made me re-examine my own mother's behaviour when she embarked on life with a new man in her late thirties and, I now realise, discovered that it was not as easy a thing to do as she probably imagined. -
This was lovely, heart-warming (but not saccharine) book. Even though some of the themes in the book were 'domestic' (a lot of getting kids ready for school, dealing with incompetent au-pairs, discussing rules with the other parent), none of it was sugar-coated and I especially appreciated the fact that the main character had some distinct flaws. You know, like a real person. The only downside was that, unfortunately, some of the other characters weren't as complex: Denise, for instance, was so obviously bad; and Rob could rarely put a foot wrong.
It was so refreshing to read about the centre for troubled adults. And there were some really comic moments in the book. I wasn't a great fan of the letter at the end, even if it was an unsent one, but overall this book was a welcome distraction in the last week.
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A really good book. Funny, emotional and addictive. Could have kept reading.Rachel's husband has just left her and we read about the trials and tribulations of balancing work life (working in a care home) and looking after children.
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The story and characters were engaging, and I wanted to keep reading to find out how everything would turn out.
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When I received a proof copy of Kate Anthony’s debut novel Beautiful Day, it came as a bit of a surprise. I knew nothing at all about the book, it’s not one I’ve seen on Amazon, it was a total non-event. But I quite liked the look of the book. It has a lovely cover, a pale yellow with a massive tree dominating the space and the title Beautiful Day inserted into the tree. It’s something I could imagine hanging on my bedroom wall, actually, the tree is that magnificent, with blues, oranges, greens and pinks making up the leaves. I thought the book sounded interesting, and I took a look at the blurb before taking a peek at the first chapter, and I was pleasantly surprised and rather interested to read more…
I found Beautiful Day to be a very beautiful book. I wasn’t sure at all what I was going to get when I started reading, but I liked Rachel’s voice immediately. She’s a recently separated single mother, juggling three kids, a surly au pair, an ex who has a new girlfriend and is happily setting up a home and a life together, and to top it all off, she’s having to go back to work. She’s found a job at Clifton Avenue Care Home as a helper, and her very first job is to be the go-to person for new resident, Philip. Philip’s mother has just died, and he’s spent the first 30+ years of his life, living in his mother’s house, eating white bread, and not doing very much else. He has no skills to speak of, can barely speak, and can’t accomplish the most simple of tasks such as brushing his teeth, but Rachel is determined to help him learn the skills he will need if he’s to ever live independently. But teaching Philip the skills he needs is much harder than Rachel ever imagined, and with people trying to block her in every direction, she’s going to have to call upon stregth she didn’t even know she had if she’s to not only get Philip to trust her, but if she’s going to be able to keep her home life running smoothly, too.
Generally when I read books about parents, I’m quite skittish. I’m not a parent, I have no idea what that entails, and it’s just not something I ever see myself becoming. So books about parents very rarely hold my interest, but I actually found myself surprisingly ensconced in Beautiful Day. Rachel is like no other parent I’ve ever read about previously. She doesn’t whinge about her tough life – the fact she’s a single mother and her ex has moved on, she doesn’t really bad-mouth her ex, and she isn’t the perfect mother. She shouts at her kids, and loses her temper on a regular basis, but I knew she had unconditional love for her kids. She was real. If I’m reading about a parent, I want them to be real parents, not perfect parents (there’s no such thing) and I absolutely loved getting to know Rachel and her kids. Her kids were super. You always expect kids who are products of their parents splitting to be awful, but I loved Alec, Jess and Luke. They have ups and downs, but they were great kids. I didn’t feel the novel was overly motherly, if that makes sense, and I sort of appreciated the fact that Rachel wasn’t overly obsessive as a mother. When something crops up with Alec, she doesn’t lose her marbles, she’s sane, rational, and I liked that.
The best bit of Beautiful Day, though, was learning about Rachel’s work at Clifton. Her relationship with Philip is fantastic, and I loved how patient she was with him, even though most people would probably have just given up and allowed someone else to take care of him, but not Rachel. It was a rather beautiful relationship, and I liked that Philip came to appreciate Rachel because she really did go above and beyond for him, as you would hope and expect any carer/helper to. Not that that was always the case at Clifton, sadly, but I enjoyed getting to know most of the helpers, especially Rob! Kate Anthony is such a fantastic writer, I really, really enjoyed getting to know everybody, especially Rachel and Philip. He may have been a man of few words, but the thing with the pink, singing toothbrush will stay with me long after reading. There were all types of moments like that that just got me, and that I really loved were there. I also thought it was great that romance wasn’t the main driving force. There is something there for us romantics, but Anthony manages to tell an amazing, fantastic story without it being the be-all-and-end-all and that was great. I really enjoyed Beautiful Day, it was a very beautiful, touching read. -
Beautiful day is a beautiful read, in fact it's a beautiful offering altogether from Penguin with a delightfully pretty cover and the sheer readability which grabs you from page one.
I read a couple of reviews for this by bloggers whose judgement I trust and whose reading tastes I share, so I was delighted when my request to Netgalley for this debut novel was approved and rather than consigning it to my to be read pile to wait its turn I opened it immediately and began reading - I finished it in 2 sittings I just couldn't put it down.
The description made me think it was going to be slightly similar to the poignant and heart wrenching
Me Before You by the lovely writer
Jojo Moyes, however, what it actually resembled more closely in style is the other great book by the same Ms Moyes -
One Plus OneOne plus One. I don't make this comparison lightly Jojo Moyes is one of my very favourite authors, a very accomplished writer with many best sellers to her name so to compare a first time novelist to her is praise indeed.
Kate Anthony has taken the mundane and everyday and made it sparkle and scintillate. This is the all too common story of a modern young mother whose husband has left her for a younger model, struggling to pay the bills and cope with 3 lively children, add to that her need to return to work after years away from the workplace, taking on a job some might view as undesirable and you have the bones of the storyline. But it's the beautiful writing style which makes this just impossible to put down. Rachel is a heroine I could instantly relate to and her children are brilliant, so real that I genuinely felt I knew them all personally. Rachels job involves working as a care worker in a residential home for adults with special needs and having done this as a volunteer myself, I felt I recognised the slightly run down care home with its quirky residents all with their own distinct personalities the staff varying from the careworn but caring to the harassed to the couldn't care less who personify the word careLESS!
Rachels life is chaotic to say the least and she really finds it difficult to manage despite doing her best life seems to be against her. Her ex-husband is a complete tosser - but then aren't all EXes? She really wants to make a difference in her new job and when she is given personal responsibility for a vulnerable new resident Philip she is determined she will do everything she possibly can to ease his transition into care home life after a life spent with his frail elderly Mum misguidedly shielding him from harm and from life! But the great law of Sod plays a blinder and as her own life descends into chaos so does the situation at work.
To say much more might spoil the joy I know you're going to get from reading this superb book which deals with quite deep subjects yet is never grim or dark. It's very easy to read but its not light and fluffy, it's just stunningly written and deliciously readable.
As a keen reader who enjoys reviewing books I've read, I sometimes feel inadequate to the task of explaining exactly why I have enjoyed a book as much as I have, I'm not an author and never could create realistic characters and storylines which absorb the reader completely like this. Full marks from me and my heartfelt thanks to the author, the publisher and Netgalley for allowing me to be one of the first folks to experience this great new author whom I am sure will write many more wonderful books and whose future work I will eagerly await. -
The cover art for Kate Anthony's Beautiful Day is absolutely gorgeous, add the enticing blurb on the back of the book and this has the potential to be the most wonderful of reads.
It is! That old well-worn cliche really does apply to Beautiful Day, I honestly did resent having to put it down for even a moment, and if it had been possible, and I had no work to do I would have sat and read the whole thing from cover to cover.
Rachel's life has gone completely and utterly belly up. Her husband and father of her three children has left, found himself a younger model. The children are not coping too well; there's bed-wetting and angry outbursts to cope with. The live-in au pair is useless and Rebecca is about to start working for first time in ages.
The Clifton Avenue Care Home is a residential home for adults with special needs, and Rachel is quickly allocated as key worker to new resident Philip. Philip has led a sad, lonely life with his elderly mother. He has no social skills, very little speech, smells a bit ripe and his toenails resemble cheese and onion crisps. Despite this, and despite Rachel's chaotic personal life, they form a bond. Rachel also forms a bond with deputy-manager Rob, a guy who wears his trousers so short that it is almost ironically fashionable, but also wears his heart on his sleeve - unlike some of the other staff in the home.
Rachel's home life spirals out of control a little bit more each day and it is only her loyal and dedicated mother-in-law, and her work at Clifton Avenue that keeps her sane ..... just. Battling with her feelings around her ex husband and his new woman, whilst trying to protect her children from further harm, her own welfare comes a long way down on her list of priorities.
Beautiful Day is an accomplished and quite elegant debut novel, written with authority and flair, it is clear that the author has a wealth of experience in social care. The character of Philip is so perfectly created, his sadness and vulnerability scream out from the pages, yet he can still make the reader chuckle at times. Some would say that Rachel is a bitter and angry woman, indeed the author comments on just that in her interview at the back of the book. I like Rachel. I think she has every right to rant and to rage and to be angry at the world. OK, at times she can be a little harsh with her children, but I doubt that there are many of us who could keep it all together, at all times in similar circumstances.
Rachel's ex-husband Dom is a fool. I hated him, he's superior and patronising and an idiot. His young lover Deborah was welcome to him in my eyes. Towards the end of the story, Rachel writes a letter to Deborah outlining her feelings, about Dom, about Deborah and about herself. This letter is the real Rachel, the person underneath the harassed, miserable and quite vulnerable lady in the rest of the book. The letter, and Rachel's wonderful relationship with resident Philip shows just how strong and kind and caring Rachel really is.
This is a novel that deals with many issues, but is never complicated. The break down of a marriage, and the effect on the children and wider family. The social services system and what can go wrong, but also how repairing it can be with the right staff who are there for the right reason. It's also a journey for Rachel, a chance for her to discover who she really is, and to find that she's more than just a wife or a mother, and that she's a person of worth in her own right.
A warm and poignant story, well written with humour and with grace. A story that deals with difficult, often complex issues in a sensitive and realistic way. -
Review originally posted to my blog:
http://www.pagetostagereviews.com/201...
This is a stunning novel and I am not just talking about the strikingly beautiful cover. I expected it to be heavily focused on a romance storyline, but instead it's a much more raw and honest look at the purest form of human connections and some of the very heart-breaking flaws that seep into the British care system, despite so many people working tirelessly and in an almost inconceivably selfless way to try and make a difference.
As readers we become acquainted with Clifton Avenue care home through the eyes of Rachel. She is a single mum of three in desperate need of a job to support her family and more by accident than on purpose she ends up working in the care system. It turns out to be the perfect environment for her to not only do some much-needed good for the people who live there and need her help, but also to blossom as a person and mother herself. Her intense role as a carer inevitably influences her personal life and unexpectedly provides exactly that what had been missing since her relationship with her ex-husband fell apart. She'd been just as lost as some of her patients and throughout the novel they help her as much as she helps them.
While Rachel joins Clifton Avenue as a carer, at the same time Philip arrives as a new resident. He's an incredibly confused and vulnerable person with little means of communication, making it difficult for anyone to get through to him. They know he is distraught by the death of his mother, his sole caretaker for the thirty plus years he's been alive, and that he's never been to school or outside of the family home really. So after losing not only his mother but also the only environment he's ever known, he's very withdrawn when Rachel is assigned to be his key worker.
What follows is simultaneously an incredibly difficult but also a beautiful and rewarding process as Rachel patiently and painstakingly tries to win Philip's trust so he will allow her help him. I was in awe by her endless patience and kindness as I don't think I would've been able to stay as gentle and focused in a similar situation. This novel has not only opened my eyes about the difficulties faced by those trying to make a difference in the care system, but has also given me a huge admiration for these amazing human beings who work so hard and lovingly to take care of someone else.
Kate Anthony has written a beautiful, thoughtful, poignant and heart-warming read, one which tells an incredibly important story. I'm astonished that this is her debut novel as it is eloquent, complex and tackles difficult issues in a sensitive way. It's also one of those rare novels that will make you want to be a better person yourself. Because if Rachel - who suffers so much hardship in a short space of time in her personal life - can remain endlessly imperturbable, gentle and self-sacrificing for her patients, then we really have no excuse to not reach out to someone else as well and try to make their world a little brighter and better. -
Book review: Beautiful Day by Kate Anthony
On the blog:
http://leeleeloves.co.uk/books/beauti...
My Thoughts:
Rachel Bidewell can only be described as bitter… Her world is turned upside down when her husband and father of their three children, - Alec, Luke and Jess, - leaves them for another woman. Struggling to make ends meet while he is living a new life Rachel is forced to go back to work and support herself. Taking everything in her stride Rachel heads off to work in a local residential care home where she is assigned as key worker to Philip, a grown man with learning difficulties. Philip has lived a sheltered life with his mother, hidden from the outside world for goodness knows how long, nobody knows his age, he can't brush his own teeth and his people skills are non existant. Rach is in over her head and Philip is the only one keeping her going in her new role at Clifton Avenue, that is until heartless care home manager Denise steps in and starts to destroy any progress they have made.
Beautiful day is told in the first person by the main protagonist Rachel, this allows you to get a real sense of how she is feeling throughout, from her bitter twisted attitude towards Deborah, the younger woman her husband abandoned his family for, to the moment of elated joy when Philip brushes his own teeth for the first time. Kate Anthony writes such a realistic account of Rachel's work in the care home and everyday incidents they face that you can really see the authors background of working as a residential social worker shine through in her writing. Following each event from Rachel’s perspective really brings home how much everything has affected their family, although I would have liked to hear a little of what Dom and Deborah thought at times I think not hearing their side of things automatically makes you take Rachels side.
I found the first half of the book to be a little repetitive as it very much evolved around the unhappy single mother who is forced to go back to work, it could be a little depressing at times, especially when you think these are everyday struggles that people in the real world are facing. However this didn't put me off, if anything it left me rooting for Rachel more as the plot developed.
Verdict
This is a heartwarming tale of love, friendship and family. Touching on many themes from divorce to the bureaucracy of social services alongside the challenges of being a single parent and still keeping up with the school PTA, Kate Anthony has managed to write about an array of serious subjects whilst also giving it a light hearted side showing it's not always bad. The characters and events are written so well I felt rather compelled to follow Rachel on her journey in hope that things would turn around for her.
As her debut novel this is of course the first novel I have read by Kate Anthony and hopefully it won’t be my last! -
I was sent an advanced reading copy of this debut novel to review by Real Readers.
This is the first novel by Kate Anthony, who used to work within social care. It focuses upon Rachel, who has been struggling to manage her house and 3 young children after her husband Dom left her for a younger model. Rachel begins to work at a residential care home and meets new resident Philip. Philip has severe learning disabilities and had lived alone with his mother until she passed away. Now it is up to Rachel to prepare him for independent living as well as fixing her own personal life.
Firstly, the cover and the back of the book do not particularly match the story. I thought that the book would be about Rachel and Philip changing each other's lives in a dramatic way however Rachel learnt to change her life through other events, not just because of Philip, as implied on the back. The cover is beautiful however the story is quite negative and deals with a lot of sadness from Rachel and her family so is not very fitting. I was completely surprised when I started to read this as I wasn't expecting so much heartache and rawness from Rachel and her family.
The plot is unique and something I've never come across before and you can tell that the author has experience working within social care as she describes the residential home perfectly. Philip is a great character however I can't help but feel that parts of him were forgotten about. We never truly discovered Philips background or saw much of an improvement and I think he was forgotten about at the end. He certainly didn't make a huge impact on the book which was a shame as his character could have been so valuable.
The book centres around Rachel's acceptance of her ex-husbands betrayal and how she manages as a single mother. I think the author truly grasped the bitterness and grittiness of the situation that Rachel was in, trying to balance a work life with 3 young children and having to deal with your cheating ex husband and his girlfriend in a civilised manner. I was moved by Rachel's story and although at times it did feel as though the story was too negative I think that this was a good thing as the author was painting a true picture of what life is really like for the abandoned single mother rather than painting over the cracks. I personally found Rachel's story inspiring as it reminds you that sometimes the only way is up and that life is what you make it.
All in all this is a good debut first novel from Kate Anthony, it is well written and kept me gripped until the end. I would be willing to read more from her and recommend this to others. This book is heartwarming at times and gives a true perspective of residential care and single parent family life all in one. This book can be purchased from the 11th of April 2014. -
At first glance I thought this must be a light, fluffy book, probably more “hen” than “chick” lit and probably not to my taste…but I was so wrong as I read/devoured it in two sittings – would have been one sitting but children need fed etc! It’s hard to believe this is a debut novel as it is so self-assured and engaging but Kate Anthony has expertly drawn on her experience as a residential social worker in this tale of domestic adjustments and new beginnings.
Our narrator is Rachel Bidewell, single mother of three, whose feckless husband Dom has absconded with the younger, childless Deborah. Rachel has been out of the workplace for a long time but now she is starting a new job as a Residential Care Assistant at Clifton Avenue, a care home for adults with special needs. She is assigned as a key worker for Philip, a new resident who is virtually non-verbal and lacking any social skills. The novel examines Rachel’s struggles at both home and work as she strives to keep her head above water. The divorce has shaken the foundations of her family and the details of childcare, finance, custody arrangements, schooling just wear her down.
Somehow, the author creates a realistic picture of a family in turmoil whilst maintaining a lightness and sense of humour. It’s probably a case of “if you don’t laugh, you’ll cry”. Rachel is only human and loses her temper when stressed. Who could blame her when Dom is buying his way into the children’s affections and the children don’t want to hurt either parent. Alongside this portrayal of a changing family dynamics is the depiction of Philip who has to adjust to a much noisier, busier environment in the care home. He is such a fragile soul, you really hope for the best for him. Rob, the Deputy Manager of the home, seems to be on Rachel’s wavelength and she needs all the support she can get at the moment.
Certainly the themes here are challenging – the effects of divorce on parents and children, the relationship between carer and those you care for, identity and how we all need care. I really enjoyed the insights into residential care and Rachel and her family’s struggles seem very similar to those being experienced by one of my friends at the moment.
A warm, down-to-earth story about ordinary folk coping with extraordinary experiences. I will certainly look out for more of Kate Anthony’s writing based on this impressive debut.
My thanks to Real Readers for sending me this novel to review.
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There are several themes in Beautiful Day. Unconditional regard we have for those vulnerable members of our society, unconditional love we have for our children, the love in a relationship and those in a position of power who abuse it … and all are capable of bringing us pain and heartbreak but also pushing us to be the best that we can be.
Kate Anthony’s writing is heart-breaking – it is so real. I found myself so into the story that Rachel’s life became my own (even though I haven’t experienced a break-up with children involved).
Denise, the manager of the care home, is the character we all love to hate. I couldn’t find any reason for her to take Rachel away from being Philip’s key worker and when we find out just what she’s up to, I was so angry! and RebeccaClassRep … I’m sure we’ve all come across a similar person when our children were at school.
It is obvious the author has experience of working within the care home setting. Every character (and their needs) we meet felt so real. Even though Rachel is new at her job, her fundamental understanding of Philip meant at one point in the story that she was able to rescue him from something that could have turned out completely differently.
The conflict at work is almost as painful as the conflict of a separated family. The pain of eldest Alec, of trying to do what he thinks everyone else wants, wanting one thing but also wanting another, not sure of his foundations in life anymore, was stomach clenching. The pain of both parents only wanting the best outcome for their children, not even sure what that is anymore.
The letter Rachel writes (but doesn’t send) to Deborah holds many truths and it was obviously a healing for Rachel. I enjoyed seeing her come to terms with her break up – from that mother trying to function on very little sleep and having to get the children to school with all the disasters taking place and trying to hold your temper in check but failing, to the woman who is energised and coping with everything that comes her way … and of course hope for the future!
The ending was superb and just perfect.
This debut really touched my emotions as a mother, a wife and a person. For that reason it’s on my ‘keepers’ list.
I would like to thank the Real Readers programme for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review. -
Penguin have done it again – another debut novel in Beautiful Day by Kate Anthony, and another that I absolutely loved from the opening pages and Rachel’s first experience of Clifton Avenue Residential Care Home through to its quite perfect ending.
Rachel is really struggling with everything life has thrown at her – her husband having left her for a younger woman, we watch her growing increasingly frustrated in her attempts to get her three children where they need to be on time, let down by her au pair and her kitchen equipment, and now she is returning to work as a care assistant. While her private life has its own challenges, at Clifton Avenue she is allocated as the key worker to Philip, a man mountain unused to human interaction and without any understanding of how to look after himself, who has recently lost his mother and come into the home. Add to that mix the horrendous Denise who manages the home, and her deputy Rob who is firmly in Rachel’s corner as she wrestles with her new responsibilities, and an excellent story unfolds.
All the characters are strongly drawn – Rachel’s mother-in-law who supports the family, the dreadful au pair, her husband’s new partner, the PTA rep who plagues her life. The children are real – with all their day-to-day problems, but with the warmest of hearts, and some of the scenes in which they play a part will stick with me for a long time. Philip is a real tour-de-force – the author’s experience of the world of social care is evident, and his frustration when coming to terms with new experiences absolutely breaks your heart. And we see Rachel develop – wholly believably – from a woman angry with the world into one who realises what really matters.
The writing is wonderful, all the more so when you remember it’s a debut novel, moving with ease between humour, tenderness and sadness. This book tackles so many issues, it might worry some that it’s going to be a bit “worthy”, but dismiss that thought immediately. Written with the wry sense of humour that you see in the best of chick lit, but dealing with difficult subjects along the way, this is a book for everyone to enjoy. I certainly did – Kate Anthony is an author to watch.
My thanks to netgalley and the publishers for my advance reading e-copy. -
I read this book in a couple of days, which is most unlike me as I am a slow reader, and usually don't manage more than a couple of pages each night before I drop off with exhaustion!
I fancied a lighter read after finishing the Book Thief, and this one was just the ticket. I read it on recommendation from a friend and other reviews on here, and was not disappointed.
In many ways Rachel's life mirrors my own, as a single mother who struggles to balance work with being a good mum. At the start I found some of the more fraught examples of family life quite stressful to read, like the getting out of the door to school on time bit when Rachel ends up blowing a gasket at the kids because no matter how early she gets up, there is still a huge rush at the end and they always leave late (my morning, every workday!). the reality of the situation got my adrenaline going... and I was in the middle of a rare child free Sunday morning lie-in!
The book is warm, witty, and has some wonderful depictions of human nature, good and bad. There is a love interest in the story, but it is not predictable, slushy or gushing, and certainly not the main focal point of the book. The book explores relationships between adults, children, colleagues and friends.
The fall out from a marriage break up is portrayed (in my opinion) accurately and sensitively. I was interested to compare Rachel's take on being a single mum with mine. While I relish a night to myself in an empty house, it is Rachel's worst nightmare, and she can't sleep for the fretting.
I loved the scenes in the care home, and the wonderful relationship that builds between Rachel and her first special needs 'key worker-ee'. These are the ones I'll probably remember most from the book.
Overall, I'd recommend this book, and I'll be interested to read any more books by this author. -
I thought this book was a lovely read starting from the eye catching cover that makes you want to pick it up.
This is a story of how hard it is when your husband leaves you for another woman. Rachel has to start again, working and caring for her three children one of whom is finding the split especially hard. She has to deal with loneliness and jealousy at the thought of her husband's girlfriend involving herself with Rachel's children.
Her job in the care home is a mixed bag, she enjoys it but she knows things are not being done in the best interest of the vulnerable residents and with the help of fellow worker Rob they restore your faith in humanity.
Phillip arrives at the care home, he is an adult with special needs whose mother has just passed away. Phillip has been kept at home as a virtual prisoner since he was a baby and can now do nothing for himself. Rachel becomes his key worker and tries to open his mind to the world. Hateful manager of the home Denise tries to come between them causing pain and upset to them both.
The story is told from Rachel's point of view and I would have liked to have known part of the story from her ex husband Dom's view. I think both him and his new partner tried to to their best but the hurt he had caused by leaving his family was not easily healed.
Everything has a way of working itself out with a little give and take from both sides but not before some upsetting happenings and lots of tears.
As I said I liked Rachel all through the book until the point where she wrote a letter to her husband's new partner but as I found out there was a reason for that so I forgave her. You'll have to read the book to find out what I mean.
Published on 10th April
Thank you to Real Readers for sending me a copy of this book. -
Firstly I’d like to thank the publisher for sending me this book to read and give an honest review.
Rachel’s introduction to Clifton Avenue Care Home was rather amusing, as was her journey home after the first day there – I knew then that I would enjoy this book if it carried on in the same way!
Rachel was super likeable and such a real character, throughout the book her ex-husband was a difficult presence in her life and there were times when I wished she would stand up for herself. Juggling family life with her new job just wasn’t easy. Her three children were an important part of the storyline for me, I found myself smiling with familiarity at her descriptions of the school morning mayhem and other family events.
Working with Philip seemed to be therapeutic for Rachel and I liked their connection as she worked with him to overcome his fears. Issues with other members of staff at the care home complicated her otherwise enjoyable work-life, there were times when she seemed to be at war both at home and at work. A touch of romance brought a light side to the book though and gave hope to Rachel when she most needed it.
There were lots of laugh out loud moments which I have to say I wasn’t expecting, my favourites included: a late encounter with the running club, a disastrous game of bingo, a race to pick up a poorly child and an awkward nipple problem.
Towards the end there was a twist that I hadn’t seen coming followed by a wonderfully honest letter which allowed me to delve into Rachel’s head even further. The author’s writing enabled me to connect with the characters easily.
This was a very honest read which captured the essence of family life beautifully.
